He also had the highest fail rate of anyone in their year.

The dorm got deep-cleaned once a week, but not by the roommates-Finley paid a professional to do it.

So, whenever Finley spoke up, Quinton usually backed down.

But maybe the pressure had finally gotten to him.

This time, he didn’t back off.

“Who says I used his account to steal money? Where’s your proof?”

“If you don’t have proof, I can sue you for slander!”

“I just used his laptop to check my portfolio. What if someone else snuck in while we were out?”

“Have you ever thought about that? We leave the door unlocked all the time. Anyone could have done it!”

“Why are you all zeroing in on me? Just because I’m broke?”

Quinton was practically shouting, his face flushed with panicked anger.

Finley Ashford raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by the outburst.

He stared at Quinton in amusement. “Are you feeling guilty?”

“I have nothing to be guilty about, so stop spouting nonsense!” Quinton retorted, desperately trying to project confidence.

But the harder he tried, the more obvious his bluff became.

Gavin had already suspected him, and this frantic defense only cemented it.

“Gavin, you don’t actually believe him, do you?”

Quinton’s face paled.

Gavin met his gaze steadily. “Quinton, if it was you, just give the money back. I’ll go down there and explain it was a misunderstanding.”

“If it wasn’t you, then I’m giving those girls the green light to call the cops.”

“Someone used my computer, and it’s not just about the money—it’s dragging my name through the mud.”

“I have to clear my reputation.”

Right on cue, Gavin’s phone buzzed. It was Claire.

“Did you find the guy?”

“If you can’t find him, we’re calling the police.”

If the dorm rules allowed girls inside, they would have already stormed the room.

“Hold on, give

me a second. I’m

If it’s no one kill

ask around t

you can go

dard call th

cops”

Gavin was offering Quinton one final chance.

But Quinton assumed Gavin was just bluffing.

Even after Gavin hung up, he stubbornly refused to admit anything.

It wasn’t until Gavin dialed Lex Grant’s number and told her to contact the authorities that reality set in.

Panic flashed in Quinton’s eyes. “Are you seriously calling the cops, or are you just messing around?”

“It’s just a few hundred dollars. Is it really worth involving the police?”

That single sentence gave everything away.

If Quinton hadn’t done anything, how did he know the exact amount was a few hundred dollars?

Gavin was at a total loss for words. This was his own roommate.

Quinton had just humiliated him. Gavin would never be able to face the students from his hometown again.

Three years of carefully building a network, gone in an instant.

He was the one taking the real hit here.

.n

“What else are they supposed to do? They took the job because they needed the cash They worked hard, got ripped off, and now they want justice.”

Gavin shot back coldly.

Quinton hesitated, still desperately clinging to the hope that he could bluff his way

out.

It wasn’t until the police showed up at his door that he realized how screwed he

was.

“I swear, I only used his computer to look at my stocks. I never touched his social accounts.”

“Even if I was desperate for cash, I wouldn’t scam someone!”

“Officers, you have to believe me!”

The kid was a smooth liar. If the police hadn’t already verified the transaction with the employer and traced Quinton’s brokerage account, they might have bought it.

“Quinton Hayes, we have solid evidence proving you pocketed the student’s wages.”

The officer’s expression was incredibly stern.